Ruto Heads to Russia Summit as Families of Missing Kenyans Demand Answers

President William Ruto is expected to lead Kenya’s delegation to the Third Russia–Africa Summit in Moscow on October 28 and 29, 2026, amid growing pressure from families of Kenyans who have died or gone missing in the Russia–Ukraine war.

The visit comes weeks after families affected by the conflict called on the President to meet them and address their concerns before travelling to Russia. The families say their relatives were lured abroad with promises of employment but ended up fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.

More than 30 families gathered in Nairobi earlier this month to demand government intervention. They want the government to help bring home survivors, recover the bodies of those killed and establish the whereabouts of Kenyans who remain missing.

Some families say they have spent months without receiving clear information about their loved ones. Others fear their relatives may have died on the battlefield without their families being officially informed.

The issue has attracted national attention, with lawmakers and human rights advocates demanding answers about the recruitment of Kenyans into the foreign conflict.

According to a report published by Daily Nation on October 21, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi told Parliament on October 8 that the government had recorded 354 Kenyans connected to the conflict. Of these, 84 were classified as killed or missing in action, while 77 were reported to be on the front lines. Another 34 were hospitalised, five were prisoners of war in Ukraine and 62 had been repatriated.

Kenya’s government has said it is engaging Russian authorities over the recruitment of its citizens and the welfare of those affected. Officials have also discussed establishing a bilateral labour agreement to provide safer and more regulated employment opportunities for Kenyans seeking jobs abroad.

The summit will provide an opportunity for Kenya and Russia to discuss trade, investment, energy, education and other areas of cooperation. However, the situation of Kenyans caught up in the war remains a major concern for affected families.

The families are hoping that Kenya’s participation in the summit will lead to concrete action rather than further promises.

As President Ruto prepares for the Moscow meeting, pressure is mounting on his administration to ensure that the safety of Kenyan citizens and the search for missing relatives remain important priorities in its diplomatic engagement with Russia.

Source: https://web.facebook.com/share/p/1CE25g1D3U/

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